Scanning transmission electron microscopy studies of high-temperature superconducting yttrium barium copper oxide thin films. [Structure and compositional properties]
The YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x} thin films were grown by reactive evaporation, reactive sputtering, and laser ablation. The films, especially those grown by laser ablation, are of very high quality with J{sub c}'s over 5 {times} 10{sup 6} A/cm{sup 2} at 77 K. High-resolution STEM images and x-ray pole figure studies, along with transport measurements on microbridge devices, have shown that high angle tilt boundaries are weak links, which exhibit Josephson junction-like characteristics. Images of (301) zone axis YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x} obtained with the STEM have demonstrated for the first time for zone axis oriented crystals the theoretical resolution limit of STEM annual dark field imaging which is {approximately} 40% better than conventional TEM bright-field imaging with the same electron optical parameters. High resolution STEM was used to study the grain structures and the grain-boundary structures of YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}x} thin films. It was found that grain boundaries are extremely clean in high-quality films without any second phase present. High-resolution STEM was used to study compositional variations at the grain boundaries.
- Research Organization:
- Cornell Univ., Ithaca, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 7040199
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
BARIUM OXIDES
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY
COPPER OXIDES
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
RESOLUTION
SUPERCONDUCTING FILMS
CRITICAL CURRENT
YTTRIUM OXIDES
HIGH-TC SUPERCONDUCTORS
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
BARIUM COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COPPER COMPOUNDS
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FILMS
MICROSCOPY
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
SUPERCONDUCTORS
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
360202* - Ceramics
Cermets
& Refractories- Structure & Phase Studies